Compliance & Regulation
Consolidation laid bare as number of law firms falls below 9,000
The number of law firms in England and Wales has dipped below 9,000 for the first time in recent memory after dropping by nearly 2,000 over the past 15 years.
Law Society calls for urgent SRA advice on impact of Mazur on AI
The SRA needs to provide urgent advice on how artificial intelligence can be used in litigation in compliance with the Mazur ruling, the Law Society has said.
Court of Appeal agrees to hear “important” Mazur appeal
The Court of Appeal has granted CILEX permission to appeal against the Mazur judgment, saying it “raises an important point of practice”.
LSCP: “Regulatory failure” behind Mazur demands systemic review
The “chaos” caused by the Mazur ruling demands “a courageous, full-scale review of the regulatory framework” in response, the chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel has argued.
Solicitor struck off 16 years ago fails in bid to return to roll
A solicitor struck off 16 years ago for multiple breaches of the accounts rules, several of them dishonest, has failed in his bid to return to the roll.
Tribunal rejects solicitor’s bid to overturn rebuke
A solicitor has failed in her appeal against a rebuke imposed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for failing to comply with court costs orders.
More clarity needed on source of funds checks, says SRA
Law firms need greater clarity on when and how source of funds and wealth checks should be carried out, a review by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has found.
CLC launches accelerated ‘experience’ route to qualification
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers has launched an accelerated route to qualification for fee-earners who have been working for at least four years in conveyancing or probate.
Regulatory reform “will help legal sector” enter next growth phase
The legal sector of the future “may look very different to the one we know today”, with further regulatory reform needed, a report for the Ministry of Justice has said.
Subpostmasters “pressured by their lawyers” into pleading guilty
Many subpostmaster victims of the Post Office scandal felt “bullied by the inevitability of pleading guilty as their lawyers advised”, a report has found.
High Court grants rights to audience to struck-off solicitor
The High Court has given a struck-off solicitor rights of audience to represent companies of which he was only made a director for that purpose.
Judge blames law firm not solicitor for fake AI cases
A judge has decided against referring a solicitor to the Solicitors Regulation Authority for citing two fake cases generated by artificial intelligence.
Peers say lawyers need stronger ethical training
The House of Lords constitution committee has called for the ethical training of lawyers to be “reviewed and strengthened” and given throughout their careers.
Conveyancer cleared after exchanging contracts on day of instruction
A solicitor has been cleared of misconduct when acting on the exchange of contracts for an elderly client’s property on the same day he was instructed.
SDT’s cost to the profession set to fall next year
The Legal Services Board has approved a reduced budget for the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal of just over £3m for 2026, a drop of 2.5% from this year.
Blog
When the person who needs help is the partner
A law firm can have excellent support on paper and still have a serious gap. The gap is the person who cannot imagine using it.
SRA supervision and AI: what firms will be asked to prove
AI intensifies scrutiny of whether firms can demonstrate that they were in control of the systems through which legal services were delivered.
How ELD NextGen will improve employers’ liability tracing
The Employers’ Liability Tracing Office is continuing work towards the launch of ELD NextGen, the next generation of the employers’ liability database, in early 2027.
Reports
Associates
